Reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee)

The President: The General Assembly will now consider the reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) on agenda items 81 to 90, 12 and 19.

I request the Rapporteur of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, Mr. Damien Cole of Ireland, to introduce in one intervention the reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee.

Mr. Cole (Ireland), Rapporteur of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee): ...

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The third report of the Committee, submitted under agenda item 83, “United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East”, is contained in document A/58/472. The Fourth Committee considered the report of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, contained in document A/58/13 and Add.1, as well as the report of the Working Group on the Financing of UNRWA and other relevant reports by the Secretary-General. Under this item, the Committee adopted five draft resolutions related to various aspects of the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Their adoption, in place of the customary seven resolutions, would ensure the continuation of the important functions of UNRWA in alleviating the sufferings of the Palestine refugees, while streamlining the work of the Fourth Committee on this question. Those draft resolutions are contained in paragraph 32 of the report. The Fourth Committee recommends the adoption of the draft resolutions to the General Assembly.

The fourth report, submitted under agenda item 84, “Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories”, is contained in document A/58/473. The Fourth Committee considered the report of the Special Committee concerning the protection and promotion of the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arab inhabitants of the occupied territories, as well as other reports by the Secretary-General submitted under that item. In the course of the debate on that item, the activities of the Special Committee were widely supported by many States, although some delegations expressed concern about the work of the Special Committee.

Under that item, after due deliberation, the Fourth Committee adopted five draft resolutions, which can be found in paragraph 25 of its report. The Fourth Committee recommends the draft resolutions to the General Assembly for adoption.

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Agenda item 83

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/58/472)

The President: The Assembly will now take a decision on the five draft resolutions recommended by the Special Political and Decolonization Committee in paragraph 32 of its report.

After all the votes have been taken, representatives will again have the opportunity to explain their vote. We turn to draft resolution I entitled “Assistance to Palestine refugees”.

[Subsequently, the delegations of Somalia and Uganda informed the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour; the delegation of Nauru informed the Secretariat that it had intended to abstain.]

The President : Draft resolution III is entitled “Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East”.

[Subsequently, the delegation of Somalia informed the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour; the delegations of Nauru and Uganda informed the Secretariat that they had intended to abstain.]

The President : Draft resolution IV is entitled “Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues”.

[Subsequently, the delegations of Somalia and Uganda informed the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour; the delegation of Nauru informed the Secretariat that it had intended to abstain.]

The President : Draft resolution V is entitled “Assistance to Palestine refugees and support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East”.

[Subsequently, the delegations of Honduras, Nauru and Uganda informed the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour; the delegations of Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Egypt, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lesotho, Maldives, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia and Togo informed the Secretariat that they had intended to abstain.]

The President : The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 83.

Agenda item 84

Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories

Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/58/473)

The President : The Assembly has before it five draft resolutions recommended by the Special Political and Decolonization Committee in paragraph 25 of its report.

We now turn to draft resolution I, entitled “Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories”.

Draft resolution I was adopted by 87 votes to 7, with 78 abstentions (resolution 58/96).

[Subsequently the delegation of Uganda informed the Secretariat that it had intended to abstain.]

The President : Draft resolution II is entitled, “Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories”.

[Subsequently the delegation of Uganda informed the Secretariat that it had intended to abstain.]

The President : May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 84?

It was so decided.

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Agenda item 40 (continued )

Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance

(e) Assistance to the Palestinian people

Draft resolution (A/58/L.33)

The President : I should like to inform members that due to the late hour, action on draft resolution A/58/L.33, under agenda item 40 (e) will be taken at a later date.

The meeting rose at 1.35 p.m.

This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-154A. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum.